California now must take the lead on environmental protections for salmon

San Francisco Chronicle

December 12, 2016Updated: December 12, 2016 5:02pm

Photo: Michael Short, The Chronicle

Senators from Oregon and Washington, where the salmon fishery depends on robust flows from California’s rivers, voted “no” in objection to the rider.

Senators from Oregon and Washington, where the salmon fishery...

Legislation containing a rider destructive to the already struggling West Coast salmon fishery is almost certain to become federal law, thanks to a 69-30 Senate vote late Friday approving the $11 billion act that authorizes water projects nationwide. California, as with so many other issues now, will need to take the lead on environmental protection policies.

Retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., was forced to filibuster her own bipartisan bill at the 11th hour after our state’s senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, added a 90-page-plus drought rider to the bill that maximizes pumping at federal water projects on California rivers to benefit agribusiness. Despite Feinstein’s insistence that the rider protects endangered species and includes more than 30 mentions that the new water policies would not override environmental laws, the fishing community disagrees because it changes the rules under which pumping is allowed.

Senators from Oregon and Washington, where the salmon fishery depends on robust flows from California’s rivers, voted “no” in objection to Feinstein’s rider. Alaska’s senators, both Republicans, also were split on the bill. It is unlikely President Obama, who objected to the rider, will veto the bill.

Feinstein said she added the rider to prevent worse actions to undermine endangered species protections from Republican legislators in the next Congress. However House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, who worked with Feinstein on crafting the rider, described it last week as a minor provision, with the long-term legislation coming next year.

To protect West Coast salmon fisheries, California no longer can rely on the feds.